Fastening device



April 17, 1934. Hfc. GRAHAM June l2,

Patented Apr. 17, 1934 Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FASTENING DEVICEHarry C.' Graham, Coraopolis Heights, Pa.

Application June 12, 1931, Serial No. 543,812

1 Claim. (Cl. 85-.-7)

This invention relates to improvements in fasor circular; but, by virtueof its central perforatening devices, and while itis not in itsapplication, it is an annulus, and in all its variety of tion limited tothis particular situation, I shall shape it still is properlycharacterized as annushow and describe it in its application insecurlar. This annular follower block is adapted over 5 ing together therails of a railway. The problem one face (the left-hand face, Fig. I) toengage 60 which has confronted, and which continues to the work to besecured; upon its opposite face it confront, the designers'of suchrailway equipis adapted to be engaged by the wedge-key. The ment is toWork out a fastener which shall be work-engaging face will, in itsparticular shape7 secure, easy of application, and easy of release.conform generally to the surface of the work,

l In a solution of that problem the invention is and ordinarily, as inthis case, will be substan- 55 found. tially plane-surfaced, and itsplane surface will In the accompanying drawing, Fig. I is a view extendpelfpendicularly to the axis of the perfo in transverse section, showingthe fastening `deration, and, accordingly, in the assembly, this Vice ofthe invention employed in securing the work-engaging surface will extendin a plane l fish-plates of a rail-joint to mthe rails. Fig. IIperpendicular to the bolt axis. For purposes 70 is a View to largerscale, showing fraginentarily presently to be described, the surfacedeparts and in section a detail of structure. Fig. III slightlyfromatrue plane, and is dished inwardly. is a view in perspective and tolarger scaleY of The follower block accordingly engages the work acertain follower block which forms part of the first and with greatestpressure at the margin fastening device,as shown in Figs. I and II. ofthe work-engaging face. This refinement in 75 Referring first to Fig. I,two fish-plates l, 1 the shape 0f the follower block is shown'in areshown in position upon opposite sides of a Fig. II. rail 2. Two railsare set cnd to end, and the The opposite face of the follower block isproftsh-plates may be understood to overlie the advided with a pluralityof key-engaging surfaces.

jacent ends of the two rails. The fish-plates en- These surfaces areoblique to the general plane S9 gage the rail heads from beneath, andthe base of the opposite, work-engaging face of the folflangesof therails from above, and are secured lower block, and, accordingly, theyare, in the by spikes to the cross-ties. The webs ofthe rails assembly,oblique to the axis of the bolt; and and of the fish-plates areperforate, and bolts they are spaced at diiferent intervals from the 3,3 penetrate the aligned bolt-holes, and'these plane of the work-engagingface. These key- 85 bolts with their accessories constitute thefastenengaging surfaces are so arranged that each is ing means.interrupted by the perforation through the fol- The bolt 3 is providedat one end with a forged lower block, to the end that, in the assembly,the head 30 by which it engages one of the assembled wedge-key,introduced through the slot in the 351 fish-plates. At the opposite endthe shank of bolt, shall have bearing upon the particular sur- 90 thebolt is slotted. The slot is preferably formed face over two areas whichlie on opposite sides by punching the otherwise iinished stem of the ofthe perforation through which the bolt exbolt, while the bolt still ishot. It is the outer tends. In Fig. III, two such key-engagingsurbounding wall of the slot in the stern of the bolt faces, 41, 42 areshown. The key-engaging sur- Li0 which affords bearing surface for thewedge-key. faces are shown to be formed by cutting chan- 95 The slot isso particularly placed that the loop nels in the substance of which thefollower block it forms is strong to resist strain tending to tear isformed. These channels have opposite walls it open (strain inleft-to-right direction, Fig. I); 44. If the follower block of theapproximate and the outer wall of the loop (the wall at the proportionsindicated in Fig. III, be formed of 45 Yghl1-hand @Dd 0f the 10013, Fg-I) in its transsteel of suitable elasticity; if the work-engaging 100Verse extent iS preferably DelpeldCulal t0 the face be dished; and ifthe channels described be axis of the bolt. of such width that theintroduced key passes Co-operating with the slotted bolt, a followerSnug1y between the Wang 44, 44, then, as the blOCk 4 and a Wedgkey 5 arePTOVded- The Wedge-key is driven home. the follower block will followerblock is perforar-e, that the Shank 0f the be flexed, and the wells 44,44 will close together, bolt may be passed hlOllgh it, and iS Preferablycatching and securing the key in place between provided with a centralcircular perforation of them proper size to afford easy clearance forthe bolt The Wedge-key 5 conveniently takes the form shank, but no more.The follower block in its of a plate of steel of suitable thicknessadapted -outer periphery may be rectangular, polygonal, to move ln theslot formed in the shank of the 110 bolt. It is of proper dimensions andits opposite edges extend in relative obliquity, and, preferably, theObliquity is of the same angular value as that of the surfaces 41, 42,etc. to the opposite work-engaging face of block 4. The edge surfaces ofthe wedge-key will ordinarily be machined, to suit them more perfectlyto the intended service.

In making assembly, after the bolt has been introduced through theorices in the assembly of rail and fish-plates, as shown in Fig. I, thebolt will be found to be so positioned that its slot is readilyaccessible for the introduction of the wedge-key (the positionordinarily will be one in which the breadth of the slot is oblique tothe horizontal). The follower block then is applied to the bolt andturned until the desired one of the surfaces 41, 42, etc. is alignedwith the slot in the shank of the bolt, and with the Obliquity of theslot extending downwardly and outwardly. The wedge-key then isintroduced, engaging, along its inner edge, the surface 41, 41 (42, 42)of the follower block and, along its outer edge the outer limiting wallof the slot in the shank of the bolt. The wedge-key then is driven homewith a Sledge, drawing the parts into snug and secure engagement. Thefollower block being dished on one face and grooved on the other, andbeing of proper elasticity, and being properly proportioned, the drivinghome of the wedge-key will effect a securing of it by the closingtogether of the slot walls. This is illustrated in Fig. II. The followerblock 4 is here shown to be dished over its work-engaging face 45, andthe channel in the follower block is shown to be of such extent that theintroduced wedge-key 5 fits snugly Within it. The follower block 4 willbe understood to be formed of such resilient material as steel. In suchcase the driving of the wedge-key home will effect a deflection of thefollower block. Its workengaging face 45 will be flattened from thefullline to the dotted-line position, and, correspondingly, the walls 44of the channel will be closed together and caused to engage more closelyand to hold more securely the wedge-key 5. Another method of securingthe key is by bending its tip aside, after it has been driven home. Thefastening is released by driving the wedge-key in opposite direction. Y

If the parts be so particularly formed and proportioned that as thewedge-key is driven home the channel walls 44 do not close upon it, thenthe oblique position of the wedge plate (when the assembly has beencompleted in the manner described, and as shown in the drawing) may befound to be a feature tending to secure the wedgekey in place. Gravitythen, acting on the wedgekey, particularly under the vibration which isincident to service, tends to shift the wedge-key downhill and totighten it in its position,

The provision of a plurality of surfaces 41, 42, etc. adapts the deviceto practical conditions: both to the circumstance that the dimensions ofthe parts to be bolted vary, and to the further circumstance thatmanufacturing conditions forbid the formation of the parts of thesecuring device with utmost precision in proportions; furthermore, inthe course of use, wear upon the parts when one of the surfaces 41, 42,etc., is engaged, may necessitate a resetting, in which another of thesaid surfaces may be engaged.

It will be perceived that, as the wedge-key is driven home, it issubjected to strains tending to bend it in the plane of its extent. Suchbending, with binding contacts on its opposite wedge surfaces, may beeffective in increasing its security in place.

This fastening device, designed primarily for securing together therails of a railway, is available for general use: for example, intemporarily securing plates of metal together, which ultimately are tobe riveted or welded.

I claim as my invention:

A fastening device including a bolt with slotted shank, the slot in theshank of the bolt being at the outer end defined by a wall adapted to beengaged by a wedge key, an annular follower block with oppositework-engaging and wedgekey engaging faces, the work-engaging face beingdished, and the wedge-key engaging face being formed with a plurality ofdiametrically extending, open-ended grooves of unequal depth and ofwidth such as under the compressive strain of service to close upon anintroduced wedge key, and a wedge key with opposite surfaces of relativeObliquity adapted in the assembly simultaneou-sly to engage the end wallin the slot in the bolt shank and the bottom of an aligned groove in thefollower block, and by virtue of such engagement to exert, whenadvanced, compressive strain.

HARRY C. GRAHAM.

